Illustration IX 15th-16th century

Editor: This is Illustration IX, an anonymous artwork at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a woodcut print depicting childbirth. What can you tell me about the social context of this image? Curator: This piece offers a glimpse into the historical experience of childbirth. Consider the power dynamics at play. Who is present? Who is absent? How does the artist portray the mother, the midwife, and their respective roles in a society with limited medical intervention? Editor: I see what you mean! It makes you think about agency and control in a very vulnerable moment. Thank you! Curator: It also invites us to contemplate how societal attitudes toward women's bodies and reproductive health have evolved.